Monday, November 24, 2014

The Adaptable Apostle

If I asked you to give me a word
that describes your impression of the Apostle Paul, I doubt that “flexibility”
would be one of those words.We
generally tend to see Paul as a driven, committed follower of Christ who
overcame all obstacles to proclaim the Gospel.Dedicated, yes. Willing to adapt his message to reach others, yes.We might consider, however, this memorable
passage that Paul writes to the church at Corinth:

“Though I am
free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as
many as possible.To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the
Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself
am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.To those not having the law I became like one
not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),
so as to win those not having the law.To the weak I
became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by
all possible means I might save some.I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in
its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, NIV)

Paul never
wavered from his core understanding of the Gospel, but he was willing to change
his presentation methods to reach his audience. This is clearly seen in Acts 17
where he uses (at least) three approaches to share the good news with a pagan
culture.

First, after
a harrowing visit to Thessalonica, Paul and his team went to Berea and, as was
his custom, he spoke in the synagogue.He found there a more accepting group of Jews who were willing to listen,
dialogue, and examine the Hebrew Bible—their source of authority—to verify Paul’s
claims.Both Jews and Greeks responded
positively to the message.

When people
from Thessalonica arrived in Berea to make trouble for Paul, he was spirited
off to Athens while Silas and Timothy stayed behind to disciple the new
believers.Paul found himself alone in
Athens, no longer a dominant political center, but still important as a place
of intellectual and philosophical debate.

We see a
different approach to sharing the Gospel as Paul wandered through the
marketplace in Athens.While there, he
commented upon and probably asked questions about the various gods whose images
adorned the city.He seems to have been
engaging the common people in discussion about the popular culture, a culture
overcome with a multitude of gods expressing innumerable human needs and
concerns.

Finally,
Paul was taken to the Areopagus (Mars Hill) to debate the Stoic and Epicurean
philosophers there.No longer a seat of government,
the Areopagus was both a place and a group of people where philosophical debate
occurred.The site had become a place
where the intellectuals presented their ideas and defended them. Just to be
invited there was an honor!

Paul
launched into a long presentation that reflected his Greek education and his
knowledge of the culture in which he found himself.He used various quotes from well-known Greek
writers to both challenge his listeners and point them toward the Creator God
who had provided a Savior for them.Many
doubted but several, including at least one member of the Areopagus, accepted
his message.

Paul’s
experiences recounted in Acts 17 show not only an ability to be flexible but a
model for Christians in a postmodern society.Paul used the authority that was appropriate to his audience to
introduced the Gospel—scripture, popular culture (or superstition), and philosophy.Did he change his core beliefs? No, but he
used those things that were important to the audience to make a connection,
creating a bridge to the Gospel.

I believe
that our post-modern world is much like the pre-modern world in which Paul
preached.When Christians hear about
postmodernism, many are moved to attack the concept and belittle it.Paul is an example of how we should respond
to the culture in which we find ourselves.Do we curse the darkness or light a candle?Paul did not fear the darkness but brought
light.He engaged his culture to fulfill
his mission.

Christians
today should not be afraid to enter into dialogue with the authority structures
of the world, but we must do so with intelligence, humility, and commitment.

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About Me

I consider myself an itinerant educator. My time is spent in encouraging and equipping ministers through my work with the Central Baptist Seminary and Pinnacle Leadership Associates. I also do volunteer work with my church in the area of leader development. Other time is devoted to reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with grandchildren and my wife, Rita.